Box and clip construction



April 10, 1956 F. JANZ 2,741,419

BOX AND CLIP CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 11, 1951 Unitedgtates Patent 6 BOX AND CLIP QGNSTRUQTION Fred Janz, Jacksonville, Fla, assignor to National Container Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 11, 1951, Serial No. 2%,99'9

7 Claims. (Cl. 229-47) The present invention relates to a novel box construction and particularly to such a construction in which twoply Walls are incorporated, the plies of those walls being retained in reinforcing and side by side relationship by means of a preformed clip.

It is fairly common, particularly for heavy duty purposes, to produce containers from sheets of corrugated paper or the like, the containers when erected including inulti-ply walls, more than one ply being employed for strengthening purposes. Various means have been provided for retaining the plies in side by side and reinforcing relationship. Adhesive has been employed for this purpose, but that involves difficulties in erecting the container, an important and significant drawback when it is considered that the containers are usually shipped in knocked-down condition and erected at the point of use, where facilities for working with adhesives are not usually available. Staples have been used in place of adhesive, but this too involves manipulation at the point where the containers are erected and is, moreover, dependent for efiectiveness upon the accurate placement of the staples, the skill of the person doing the stapling, and the dependability of the staples and the stapling machine used.

Because of the disadvantages inherent in the use of separate securing means as the prior art has taught the use of such means, the art has often turned to the use of interlocking flaps and recesses, these flaps and recesses be- 7 ing formed in the wahs and being interlocked when the container is erected. However, the strength of such a securing means is definitely limited, not only by the strength of the material of which the interlocking members are formed but also by the positiveness with which they are interlocked. In order to provide adequate positiveness of interlocking it is usually necessary that the projecting elements be somewhat deformed while entering their respective recesses, and this obviously weakens the strength of the securing action produced thereby.

Moreover, the use of projections and recesses involves wastage of material or else a definite weakening of the walls provided with those elements. If the projections are formed at the edges of the walls, a large amount of material must be discarded When the blanks are cut from the basic sheets of corrugated board or the like, and even very careful designing can merely minimize, but cannot entirely eliminate, this factor, which becomes exceedingly important when large scale production is involved. If the projections are formed as part of the walls, said projections being adapted to be bent out from the plane of the walls in order to interlock with recesses in the adjacent walls, a quite appreciable weakening of the walls results, caused by the gaps left in one wall when the projection is bent out therefrom and in the other wall when the recess is formed therein.

Moreover, this type of wall interconnection results in openings being left in the walls through which dirt, dust, moisture and the like can readily pass, thus to some extent at least reducing the protection which the container accords to its contents.

above.

2,741,419 iatented Apr. 10, 1956 It is often desired to utilize a telescoping cover in conjunction withcontainers of the type in question. When, as is usually the case, it is the side walls of the container which must be reinforced by a multi-piy construction, it is not feasible to secure the inner reinforcing walls to the outer side walls by means of flaps and recesses because the flaps, when they have been passed through the recesses, will either obstruct the outer surface of the side walls, thus inhibiting the telescoping action of the cover and substantially preventing effective sealing action between the cover and the container, or the fiaps will obstruct the smoothness of the exposed inner surfaces of the container, thus interfering with the packing of the container. Hence it has usually been necessary, where the above factors are significant, to provide flaps on the reinforcing walls receivable in recesses in the bottom wall of the container. This results in a serious-weakening of the bottom wall, which is required to sustain the entire weight of the container contents.

T he present invention, by modifying the construction of the container and by utilizingv therewith a preformed resilient clip, permits very ready erection of a container having multi-ply side walls without any of the disadvantages inherent in the prior art structures as outlined Moreover, the present invention is particularly adapted for use in containers provided with telescoping covers, the same clip which serves to hold the plies of the side walls in side by side and reinforcing relationship also serving to secure the cover on the container in telescoped relation thereto.

The securing clip is preformed to the shape which it must assume in order to hold the reinforcing walls against the side Walls. All that is necessary is to snap the clip in place around the walls. Registering apertures are provided in the Walls in order to permit the clip to be snapped into place. These apertures are defined by hinged flaps, partially cut out from thewalls so as to be swingable out from the plane thereof in order to permit the clip to be inserted. However, once the clip has been inserted, the flaps are swung back into the plane of their walls so as to fill and close the apertures through those walls, thus not only restoring the walls substantially to their initial degree of grid strength, but also holding the clip in place in a positive manner. Since the clip is made of a thin strip of sheet material, the flaps are not appreciably distorted, penetration of the walls by air, dirt or moisture is negligible, and no unsightly gaps are provided therethrough. The bottom wall is entirely unbroken so that its strength is unimpaired. Moreover. both the inner and outer surfaces of the side walls are rendered smooth. and unobstructed, thus neither interfering with the use ofa telescoping cover nor detracting from the ready packability of the container.

The very clip employed to retain the side and reinforcing walls in proper position may also serve to secure the telescoping cover to the erected container, one arm of that clip extending above the upper edge of the side wall so as to pass through a suitable slit in the cover and then being bent around the cover. The clip, because of its thinness, does not interfere with the telescoping of the cover.

The blank from which the box is formed is entirely rectangular, so there is no waste of material-involved in its production. The size of the apertures defined by the hinged flaps is so related to the size and configuration of the clip that the clip is not appreciably distorted when it is inserted into position. Hence erection of the box is comparatively foolproof and may be performed by an unskilled person. At the same time the clip may be formed of relatively inexpensive material Sifl' it nd have only a minimal degree of resiliency.

To the accomplishment of the above and to such other of the side walls 4 for strengthening purposes.

objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to a box and clip construction as defined in the following claims and as described in this specification taken together with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the box, clip and cover of the present invention in assembled condition;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the box and clip combination when assembled;

, ner in which the clip is inserted;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 7--7 of Fig. 1 butshowing only the box and clip; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the cover in position and secured to the box.

In the single embodiment of the invention here illustrated the container is formed from a unitary rectangular blankof corrugated board or'the like defining a bottom wall 2 integral with side walls 4'bent up at the edges thereof, the side walls 4 being integrally connected at their upper edges 6 with reinforcing walls 8 bent downwardly so as to extend along at least part of the inner surfaces The particular corner construction for the box, both' as regards the side walls-4 and the reinforcing walls 8, may take any desired form well known to those skilled in the art and consequently details of said corner structure, since they do not form part of the present invention, are not here specifically disclosed.

Two opposite side walls 4 are provided with flaps 10 cut out along their top and side edges and hingedly connected to the side wall 4 at their bottom edges, these flaps when bent out of the plane of the side wall 4 defining an aperture 12 therethrough. The reinforcing walls 8 which extend along these opposite side walls 4 are each provided with a corresponding and registering flap 14 which, when bentout from the plane of its wall, defines an aperture 16 therethrough registering with the aperture 12 in the side wall 4.

The clip, generally designated 18 and best shown in' Fig. 4, comprises a pair of parallel arms 20 and 22 connected by a reverse bend 24. This clip is formed from a strip of somewhat resilient material which is also pliable, such as soft brass or steel. The length of the arm 20 is somewhat less than the distance fiom the top of the apertures 12 and 16 to the upper edge 6 of the walls 4 and 8. For purposes hereinafter to be set forth, the other arm 22 may be considerably longer, the upper portion 26 thereof extending well above the upper edge6 of the walls'4 and 8. The clip 18 as here disclosed has a substantial width in order to facilitate its action, and, be-

cause it is preformed and is subject to little or no distortion when itis inserted in place, it may be of very thin sheet stock, thus materially minimizing its expensiveness and facilitating the use of a telescoping cover. 7

The size of the flaps 10 and 14, and hence the size of the apertures 12 and 16 defined when said flaps are swung "8 and the clip arm 22 pressing against the exposed surface of the outer side wall 4, the inherent resiliency of the clip 18 serving to force and retain those walls against one another; More specifically, the width of the flaps 10 and 14, and hence of the'apertures 12 and 16, is substantially the'same as the width of the-clip 18. The height of the degree of curvature of the reverse bend clip portion 24, this in turn being determined to some extent by the thickness of the walls 4 and 8. When the clip is to be placed in position the long arm 22 thereof is passed through the apertures 12 and 16 in the direction of the arrow 28 of Fig. 6, the wall 8 is manually pressed down against the wall 4, the clip 18 is inserted until the upper end of the clip arm 2!) touches the exposed surface of the wall 8, and the clip is then rotated in a clockwise direction (see arrow 28 of Fig. 6) until it assumes the position shown in Fig; 7, with the clip arm 22 pressing against the outer exposed surface of the side wall 4 and the clip arm 20 pressing against the exposed surface of the reinforcing wvall 8. The height of the apertures 12 and 16 is such that this pivotal movement of the clip from its position substantially at right angles to the walls 4 and 8, as shown in Fig. 6, to its position substantially parallel to the walls, as shown in Fig. 7, can be substantially freely carried out 'without requiring any appreciable distortion of the clip itself.

Once the clip is in the position shown in Fig. 7, the flaps 10 and 14 may be pivoted back intothe plane of their respective walls 4 and 8. Since the clip 18 is formed of quite thin material, this is entirely feasible without distortion of the flaps 10 and 14. If desired, a thin sliver of material may be excised from the top of the flaps 10 and 14 when they are formed in order to eliminate even this minimal, and usually insignificant, amount of distortion. The flaps 18 and 14, when thus folded back into the plane of their respective walls, completely fill the apertures 12 and 16, thus substantially sealing those walls and preventing the passage of foreign matter therethrough, while at the same time the flaps 10 and 14 secure the clip 18 in position in a positive manner.

In order to even more firmly fix the position of the clip 18, the reinforcing wall 8 may optionally; be provided with a depression 30, into which a detent portion 32 of the clip arm 20 is receivable. By providing such a depression 30, insertion of the clip without distortion is facilitated, the tip of the clip arm 20 being received within that depression 30 during thepivotal motion of theclip from its position shown in Fig. 6 to its position shown in trated are firmly held against their corresponding side walls 4 by the clips 18 the other reinforcing walls will be similarly held in position by any suitable interrelationship. For example, the non-apertured reinforcing walls 8 may first be folded down into position against their 7 respective side walls 4, the apertured reinforcing walls 8 then being folded down between the non-apertured reinforcing walls 8, the apertured walls thus holding the non-apertured walls in propergposition and the clips 18 holding the apertured Walls in proper position.

The clip 18 may serve not only to secure theside and reinforcing walls 4 and 8 in side byside position, but also to secure a cover, generally designated 34, to the container when desired. Thevcover 34 may comprise a top wall 36 and depending side walls 38v adapted to telescope over the side Walls 4 of the container. The top wall36 is provided with apertures 49 through which the flaps 10 and 14, and consequently of the apertures 12 and V 16, issomewhat smaller than the efiective height of the shorter clip arm 20, the'actual height being determined not only by the lengthof the clip arm 20 but also by'the upwardly extending ends 26 of the arms 22 can pass when the cover 34 is telescoped over the container, the ends 7 26 of the clip arms 22 then being bendable downwardly over the side walls 38 of the cover 34 in order to secure the cover in position. Because the clips 18 are made of very thin material they do not materially inhibit the telescoping of the cover over the container, nor do they give rise to wide spacing between thewalls 4 and 38. The

side wa is 33 of the cover 34 preferably extend over the flaps It so as to hide those flaps from view and ensure that the flaps remain in the piano of their respective side Walls 4. The top wall 36 of the cover 34- engages the upper edge 6 of the side container walls 4 inboard of the apertures 4d so as to effectively seal the interior of the container.

By using the box and clip construction of the present invention a strong and easily erected box is produced, one in which the side Walls are reinforced, the bottom wail is unbroken and hence of maximum strength, the reinforcing walls are held in position without any waste of material, a cover is very readily secured in position on the container, and containers so produced may be subjected to much more severe handling than has heretofore been possible. All this is achieved through the use of a structure which is simple and extremely economical.

While but one embodiment of the present invention has been here illustrated, it will be apparent that many variations may be made therein, for example, as to the nature of the number of plies included in the side walls and the particular configuration of the clip, all within the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a box comprising a bottom wall, a side wall, and a reinforcing wall along said side wall and unsecured to said box at the bottom edge thereof, the improvement which comprises a pair of registering flaps in said side and reinforcing walls which, when bent out, define registering apertures through said walls, and a resilient clip comprising a pair of parallel arms connected by a reverse bend, the arms of said clip extending over and gripping the exposed surfaces of said walls and the reverse bend of said clip extending through said registering apertures, said flaps being pressed into the plane of their respective walls and having a height substantially equal to the height of their respective apertures, said flaps engaging the reverse bend of said clip and pressing said clip against an end of said apertures so as to retain said clip in position, said clip arms retaining said walls in side by side relationship.

2. The box of claim 1, in which said reinforcing wall is inside said side wall, the clip arm which grips the exposed surface of said side wall extends up beyond the top edge thereof, and the other clip arm terminates short of the top edge of said side wall.

3. In combination with the box of claim 2, a telescoping cover having side walls and a top Wall, said side walls being slidable over the side walls of said box, said top wall being apertured adjacent said side walls in registration with the upwardly extending arm of said clip, said arm being passable through said aperture and bendable around said cover so as to hold said cover to said box.

4. In combination, a box comprising a bottom wall, a side wall bent upwardly therefrom, and a reinforcing wall bent downwardly from the top of said side wall so as to extend along said side wall and unsecured to said box at the bottom edge thereof, all of said Walls being integral, a pair of registering flaps in said side and reinforcing walls, each of which, when bent out from the plane of its wall, defines an aperture therethrough, and a preformed clip of resilient and pliable strip material comprising a pair of parallel arms connected by a reverse bend, the width of said flaps corresponding to the width of said clip and the height of said flaps corresponding to the length of one of said clip arms and the curvature of the reverse bend in said clip, said clip being insertable through said apertures with one clip arm perpendicular to said walls when said flaps are bent out from the plane of their walls, said clip being then swingable without appreciable distortion so that said arms grip the exposed surfaces of said walls, said flaps then being foldable into the plane of their respective walls and having a height substantially equal to the height of their respective aper' tures, said flaps engaging the reverse bend of said clip and pressing said clip against an end of said apertures so as to iili said apertures and retain said clip in position.

5. The combination of claim 4, in which said reinforcing wall is inside said side wall, the clip arm which grips the exposed surface of said side wall extends up beyond the top edge thereof, and the other clip arm terminates short of the top edge of said side wall, the height of said flaps corresponding to the length of said other clip arm and the curvature of the reverse bend in said clip.

6. In combination with the box and clip of claim 5, a telescoping cover having side walls and a top wall, said side walls being slidable over the side walls of said box, said top wall being apertured adjacent said side walls in registration with the upwardly extending arm of said clip, said arm being passable through said aperture and bendable around said cover so as to hold said cover to said box.

7. In combination, a box comprising a bottom wall, a side wall bent upwardly therefrom, and a reinforcing wall bent downwardly from the top of said side wall inside said side wall so as to extend along the inner surface of said side wall, all of said walls being integral, a pair of registering flaps in said side and reinforcing walls, each of which, when bent out from the plane of its wall, defines an aperture therethrough, and a preformed clip of resilient and pliable strip material comprising a pair of parallel arms connected by a reverse bend, the Width of said flaps corresponding to the width of said clip and the height of said flaps corresponding to the length of one of said clip arms and the curvature of the reverse bend in said clip, said clip being insertable through said apertures with one clip arm perpendicular to said walls when said flaps are bent out from the plane of their walls, said clip then being swingable Without appreciable distortion so that said arms grip the exposed surfaces of said walls, said flaps then being foldable into the plane of their respective walls and having a height substantially equal to the height of their respective apertures, said flaps engaging the reverse bend of said clip and pressing said clip against an end of said apertures so as to fill said apertures and retain said clip in position, said one of said clip arms gripping the exposed surface of said reinforcing wall and terminating short of the top edge of said side wall, the other of said clip arms gripping the exposed surface of said side wall and extending up beyond the top edge thereof, and a telescoping cover having side walls and a top wall, said side walls being slidable over the side walls of said box, said top wall being apertured adjacent said side walls in registration with said other clip arm, said other clip arm being passable through said aperture and bendable around said cover so as to hold said cover to said box.

References fiited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,120,470 Patterson June 14, 1938 2,300,161 Mather Oct. 27, 1942 2,481,871 Potts Sept. 13, 1949 2,537,151 Mires Jan. 9, 1951 2,537,801 Swatsiclr Jan. 9, 1951 2,553,840 Andre May 22, 1951 2,586,156 Ferguson Feb. 19, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 897,383 France May 22, 1944 

